It took years (06): Epilogue

(14th February)


The street was crowded—something unusual on a cold night. But Yossi knew exactly why: it was Valentine’s Day; the day when Love fills the air. As she looked around, she saw couples everywhere. There were one right before them and another to her right, and both were locked tightly in an embrace, looking very much in love. Yossi looked down at the arm locked around hers and felt she isn’t doing badly either. At this very moment, she felt like the happiest person in the world, and she knew it wasn’t only for now but for the all the days that would come.

Touching the new addition on her left ear and remembering her escort wearing a similar one, Yossi felt another wave of bliss cruise through her warm body. She wondered why they had wasted eight years until now. She had to catch back on all their missed time. She lowered her arm, allowing the other arm to slide down and adroitly grabbed onto the hand she had been longing to hold for a long long time. She was finally holding hands with Rika.

A slight frown formed on Rika’s face, however, it disappeared almost as fast as she was, again, distracted by the voice coming from the gadget on her ears.

Yossi fully understood the reason behind the frown: in Japan, it is weird for two adult women to be holding hands though being arm-in-arm isn’t. But Yossi couldn’t care less now.

As an old man in a business suit approached them Yossi smiled back politely. When she realized the man was obviously giving them a look longer than necessary she raised a brow in bemusement. Did the stranger recognise them or had his smarter than ordinary kinky mind understood their touch as something beyond the threshold of mutual friendship?

Not that Yossi had minded. Their slightly intimate gesture could be explained—that was if there were a need to: everybody knows Yoshizawa Hitomi and Ishikawa Rika are ‘good friends’, of the same age, same audition, ex-Morning-Musume members and from the same agency; in other words, they are fated to be together. The thought alone made Yossi bask in happiness again.

The line went dead. Yossi watched the phone drop back into the capacious bag and readied herself. Two crucial seconds passed and nothing happened, she could still feel Rika’s hand holding on to hers. It was obvious that Rika had no intention of letting go. Grinning, Yossi looked sideway at her new-found girlfriend and asked: “How’s it?”

Rika nodded subtly. “I told mom I’ll be going to your place to stay for the night.” A broad smile began to grow on her face. “She’s ok with it, since she knows you.”

Yossi laughed, scratching the back of her head. “So… are you going to tell her about us?”

Rika shrugged. “I don’t know. Just wait and see… You?”

Rika’s words seemed to have struck a nerve in Yossi. Stopping suddenly, she looked back gravely before saying: “My mother might understand but my dad…” she then shrugged and laughed nervously. “Oh~ Why do I suddenly feel your parents are going to take it better than mine?”

“Well,” Rika laughed and looked cheekily at Yossi. “Why don’t we go to my place then?”
Realising it might be a better idea, Yossi yanked out her cell phone and pressed on the numbers to call home. Rika quickly stopped Yossi. “I was joking.” She took the cell phone from Yossi and dumped it into her own bag, then turning to Yossi again, she said, “Whatever the future holds, we’ll face it together, ok?”

Yossi never felt as assured. As they continued their saunter—still holding hands dearly—toward the subway station, Rika spoke again, “But I don’t want others to know… just yet.”

Sensing the apprehension in Rika’s tone, Yossi nodded her head assuredly.

“And not even your good friends,” Rika reiterated.

“My good friends?”

“Maichin & Ayaka.”

Yossi felt a nail htiing the back of her head; she was just thinking about telling her buddies the good news, wanting them to share her joy. She hesitated, but when she saw the worrying look on her girlfriend, she nodded.

A triumphant grin. Rika understood that was hard on Yossi. Much as she, too, wanted the world to know she just wasn’t ready yet. She needed more time to gauge, to be mentally prepared for people’s reaction.

“What about Gatas?” asked Yossi.

Rika shook her head.

“Kemeko?”

Rika frown slightly before shaking her head.

“Not even Shibata-chan?”

“No.” Rika’s frown deepened as she shook her head again.

“Berry CUTE?”

“NO!! Not the kids!”

“Berry cute.”

Rika stared at Yossi. “I said ‘NO’”

Yossi laughed. “Berry cute, you look very cute now.”

Still drowning in her unaccustomed new bliss, it took Rika longer than usual to understand her girlfriend’s weak little joke.